Continuous display signs, and especially those which can be operated in rather confined areas or in commercial vehicles such as limousines, buses and taxi cabs are extremely useful for conveying information to customers and passengers. Especially useful is a compact, portable and relatively simple apparatus for continuously displaying messages, advertisements and the like as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,608,778. However, a significant problem with such a device is the use of a pleated or folded band which frequently malfunctions as the tape continually folded and unfolded as it is directed through the apparatus. It is to the elimination of such problems that the present invention is directed.